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Chapter 8 - Chapter 8 - Hollow eyes and heavy blades

The crackle of the fire lulled me into a light daze. I sat near the edge of my shelter, resting my arm on my knee, half-listening to the wind brushing through the grass and trees.

Then...

Crunch.

A footstep.

Not mine.

I froze. Every muscle tensed as my hand slid instinctively to the sword lying next to me.

Another crunch, slow, uneven. Something dragging through the undergrowth.

I rose to a crouch, ears straining.

Then it appeared.

From the tree line, a figure stepped into the clearing.

Not a person.

A skeleton.

The same one from before. I was sure of it. But now I could see it clearly in the light of day.

Its frame was bent, the bones cracked and jagged like they'd been gnawed by time itself. Moss clung to its ribcage and spine, patches of green coating its shoulders like a decaying cloak. Each movement came with the brittle sound of bones grinding against bone, unnatural, sharp, and deliberate. Its hollow eyes, two black voids in a skull too clean to be untouched by rot, were locked on me.

And it was moving.

Toward me.

I stepped back, slowly drawing my sword.

"Okay. I know I killed your vibe last time, but showing up uninvited? Bit clingy."

The skeleton raised an arm, creaking as its joints shifted with sickening pops. Its fingers curled, like claws.

Then it lunged.

I rolled to the side, barely avoiding its swipe. Dirt and grass flew into the air where its hand struck the ground.

I swung the sword in response, too slow.

It parried with a rusted blade it must've been hiding behind its back. I didn't even realize it had one until sparks flew from the clash.

"You've got a sword now! What is this, the undead upgrade plan?"

It came again, jagged, wild swings. No skill. Just raw force. I backed up, barely deflecting, my arms vibrating with each block.

I needed an opening.

I ducked low, then swept my leg toward its ankle.

The thing stumbled, but didn't fall.

It struck down again. I caught it with the flat of my blade, then shoved forward, throwing it off balance.

Time slowed.

My instincts, whatever, was enhancing them, kicked in.

I twisted, reversed my grip, and slammed the hilt of the sword into the base of its skull.

Crack.

The skeleton staggered, took two more jagged steps toward me, and I drove my blade through its chest.

The bones gave way with a horrible shhrrrk as the skeleton collapsed, crumbling like ash.

Silence.

Then...

My arm.

It burned.

Glowed.

The swirling letters tattooed into my skin lit up with searing white light, as if reacting to the kill. Energy surged through me, not painful, but overwhelming, electric and alive.

"What the hell? No one said beating undead would make me into a glow stick!"

My heart pounded. I stared at my arm in panic, watching as the spiraling script pulsed like it had a heartbeat of its own.

Then, as quickly as it flared,

It stopped.

Just like that.

Gone.

No pain. No explanation. Just silence and the faint smell of bone dust on the wind.

"Right. Totally normal. Definitely didn't just level up or unlock a curse or whatever this insane world calls it."

I dropped onto the grass, staring at the sky, my sword still loosely gripped in one hand.

"Can someone please explain the tutorial next time?!"

The wind rustled through the trees as if laughing at me.

I closed my eyes, the lingering light of the tattoos still imprinted in my vision.

Whatever just happened, it meant something.

The real question was.

What did it mean for me?

Absolutely! Here's the continuation of Chapter 8 of Begin Again, introducing a mysterious (and possibly magical) new companion—with some humor, heart, and a dash of destiny.

The air was still tense long after the glow faded from my arm.

I kept my sword beside me, my back pressed against the partially built log wall, eyes scanning the forest line. The birds had returned, timid chirps echoing from the trees, but my heart hadn't caught up to the calm yet.

That was the second time I'd encountered a skeleton in this world.

And the first time I'd… well, done that.

Magic. Tattoos. Glowing nonsense. What was next?

A sound snapped my gaze from the spiral.

Soft footsteps.

Not like the skeleton, this was different. Lighter. More careful. Circling.

I turned slowly.

Dark fur slid between the tall grass.

Two eyes, deep amber, alert, intelligent, peered from beneath the brush. Ears flicked forward. A sleek shape padded into view.

A black wolf pup.

Small, but not weak. Maybe only a few months old, but its posture was guarded and deliberate, its breathing low and quiet. It walked in a slow, careful circle around my camp, sniffing at the remnants of the boar meat near the fire pit.

My heart kicked into my throat again, but I held still.

"Okay… definitely adorable. But also possibly rabid. Or magical. Or both."

The wolf paused, then lifted its snout to the sky and let out a tiny, almost pathetic howl. It cracked halfway through, more of a squeaky yawn than a war cry.

I blinked. My panic melted a little.

"Fear me, mighty cub of darkness."

Then an idea.

I reached beside me and picked up one of the brittle remains left from the skeleton, a clean, dry bone. Still intact.

"He likes bones, right? I mean, who doesn't?"

I tossed it gently toward the pup.

It flinched, then bounded forward, snatched the bone mid-air, and bolted into the woods with tail wagging like a flag in the wind.

"Okay. Weird day, but at least that was a win."

A few hours later…

I must've dozed off while the sun was still high. The fire had died again, just hot stones and lazy wisps of smoke now.

Something warm exhaled against my cheek.

I opened my eyes slowly.

And saw teeth.

Fangs.

The wolf pup was staring down at me.

Just... sitting there. Inches from my face. Its nose twitching. Eyes fixed.

"Okay, new rule: no surprise sniffing."

I sat up with a start, blinking rapidly as the wolf took a step back, its tail flicking but its ears still upright.

We stared at each other in silence.

It barked.

Just once. Short. Sharp.

"What? You want a name now?"

It tilted its head.

"Alright… dark fur… mysterious… slightly unhinged…"

I scratched my chin dramatically. "How about… kurokami?"

The pup blinked.

"Means black hair in Japanese. I don't know, I'm on a roll with the cool naming thing. You're welcome."

It wagged its tail.

I reached back into the pile of remains and offered it another bone.

It padded closer this time. No hesitation. Took it gently. Lay down beside the fire pit like it owned the place.

"So you're sticking around, huh?"

It barked again.

"Fine. But I'm not sharing my sleeping spot unless you can do fire tricks."

The pup blinked once, then proceeded to chew on the bone with complete indifference.

I leaned back, arms behind me, staring into the horizon where the light was beginning to dip once again.

"Skeletons, glowing tattoos, hairy roommate… what a day."

I sighed.

And for once, it wasn't out of fear. Just… exhaustion.

But with Kurokami by my side, maybe this strange world was getting a little less lonely.

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